Potato cutting machine



June 16, i931. J. A. BERGREN ET AL POTATO CUTTING MACHINE Filed July 11.1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 June16, 1931.

J. A. BERGREN ET AL POTATO CUTTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July11. 1927 June 16, 1931. 4 J. A. BERGREN ET AL POTATO CUTTING MACHINEFiled July 11. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 JOHN H. amsfigly. c/m/uw 6.Bt'fiGfiEN.

5r my 19 770/7/VEX5.

June 16, 1931. J. A. BERGREN ET AL 1,819,459

POTATO CUTTING MACHINE Filed Ju ly 11. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l l i l llllllflllllllmk llllllllllllill JOHN H. flfliG/YEN.

C/l/SWLEJ G. 55/768511.

5) THE/l? /7.7T0/7/VY5..

Patented June- 16, 1931 JOH-NA.-BERGRE1\T- Aim CHAR-Lissa. BnneimmorLAKEPPARK; llEI-NNESOTA;ASSIGNORS no BERGQREN MANUF CTU ING ooIvIPAnY;A- CORPORATION cut-When inoved toth'e knives. I

he out; the cutting'of potatoes by hand' be,

coines quitea ta'sli. When the small potatoes arefcutg a it is desirableto have" a supporting and cuttin'g" means whichwill cut the potatoesinto two pieces which are ubstant'ially of equalsi'ze; Inthe cuttingof alargenuinber of potatoes; the juice froin'the otatoesameI'SO'fi'thepartsiof the machine, and, where a lunger is used to move the potatoestothe knives; this nice and dirt} collectsthereon so that means shouldbe provided for clearing the dirt from the plnngeri 'Itisalso-desirabl'e to 'have'a I potato cutting machine adapted to be-operatedfeither by hand -power or by mo: tor. It isan object of thisinvention; there fore} to provide a potato 5 cutting machine havingasimple and eiiicient' means for "sup-j porting potatoes sothatthey'will be properly Itis afurther'object of the invehtiontoprovide apotato cutting machine having ineans ateae h end throflgh whichthe potatoes must be placed in order to properly be presei'lted to' theknives.

It isa further" object o'f' -the inventioiito provide apotato c'uttingma chine comprising a'kliif'e, aplunge'r formovingthe potatoes to theknife, whichplunger has agroovethere in for einbracingsaid knife, saidgroove be' ing constructed and arranged-to'be cleared of dirt or otheraccumulated material.

It isstill another obj e et ofthe inventionito provide apot'atocuttihginachiiie having thin Vertical andhorizontal knives;.ztgainstwhich the potatoes are movechtogether With ac'lip ping devicecomprisingknives-Inovingin a plane at right angles to the'pla neof'sa'id first" mentioned lfiiives to further out the potatoes whichhave been moved past the first men tion'edilrhives. 1 I

It" is another object; of the invention'to provide a: potato cuttingmachine with" such a' clipping; 'cteviceas set forth in-tneprecediiig 7paragraph; with siniple' and efficientmeans 192?; Serial no. v 204,716.

means by which'it may bedriven a belt froma suitable motor, togetherwith means for throwing ,out thebelt driving means so that-the 'saniecanbe operated b'y'i'n'e'ans of a handflever.

These and othe'r objects advantages ofthe invention Will be fullyset,forth in, the following description made inic-onne'ction' with theaccompanying drawing in which like reference characters, refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views and' in which:- l v 7 Fig.1is a, planview of the device;

Fig. 2 is a" vertical section taken on" line 2 2 of 1 as indicatedthe'ari otvs;

\Fig. 3'is a-vertic al section taken on lihe 3'3 of Fig. 2', asindicatedby the arrows; V Fig. 4 is a'viewin end elevation of theclipping device With the knives open"; "Fig; 5 is a View similar to Fig;4 With the knives closed; and Fig. 6 is a partial View similar to Fig. 3showingthe driving IllQChl? nism in another :position.

Referringtothe drawings; a'inachine is" -shown comprisingthe verticalframem'eni hers '10 d sposed substantlally at the corners of' arectangle and while thesefraine member-s may he-of any suitable forin,in the eifibOtll ment of the invention illustrated they are shown-asin'the form of angle bars. The vertical frame members 10 f are connectedby longitudinally extending members 11, 12, 13 and 14 While the-membersllto 14 may also be'of various shapes, in the embodiment of theinventionithey are also shownas in' the" form of anglebars and disposedjas clearly shown in F ig: 3.- The angle barsl khave' securedon top'thereof a pl'ate lii which, as

shown'in Fig. 3, ex te'ndsat oentra-liportion entirely across" thespacebetween" members 14-, but at its end portions has portions 15athereof bent downward and disposed 1 sub stanti ally vertioally l Themembers 15a have secured thereto dividing plates ldwhich extenctinVertical-planes longitudinally of the; machine. v i r I The members 13form guideways for a cross head construction comprising a plate 17extending between said bars 13 on top thereof to which are secured themembers 17a being offset to embrace the horizontal flanges of themembers 13, thus forming slides movable on the members 13. The movementof the members 17 and 17a may be limited on the members 13 by theadjustable stops 18. The bar 17 has secured thereto ycross head brackets19 having depending arms with hubs at their lowerends through whichextends a rod 20. The rod 20 is embraced by a slot 21a in an arm 21having a hub at its lower end pivoted on a bar 22 carried in bearings 23secured to the lower side of the angle bars 12. The rod 22 projects ateach side of the members 12 and at one side has secured thereto an arm24 having a hub at its upper end receiving a pin 25 on which is pivotedone end of link 26 pivoted at its other end on. a pin 27 secured in aboss 28a of the gear 28. The link 26 is held on the pins 25 and 27 bycotter pins 29. The gear 28 is secured to a shaft 30 journaled inbearings 31 secured to members 12. The gear 28 meshes with and is drivenby gear 32 secured to a shaft 33 also journaled in bearings 31 andhaving secured at one end a belt pulley 33a. The bar 17 has securedthereto by the same bolts which secure the brackets 19, plungers 34 and35. These plunger-s as shown in Fig. 1 have curved concave ends, saidplungers having slots 34a and 35a extending thereinto longitudinally ofsaid plungers and it will be noted that said slots increase in widthinwardly, flare downwardly and are shown as having rounded ends. Theplunger 34 also has its other endcurved and concave, with the slots 34bextending therein similar to the slot 34a. The plunger 35 at its otherend is divided by a longitudinally extending slot 35?), thus formingineffect two plungers 350, each of which have curved concave ends 34d intowhich extend the slots 340 similar to the slots 34a. .The machine hascutter heads 36 and 37 secured in the vertical members 10 and extendingtherebetween, which cutter heads comprise open rectangular frames. Thecutter head 36 has a pair of spaced vertical knives 38 extending fromtop to bottom thereof alined with the centers of the slots 346 and saidframe also has another vertical knife 39 extending from top to bottomthereof and alined with the center of slot 346. The cutter head 37 haspairs of intersecting vertical knife members 41 which are pivoted on apivot 42 mounted in a small angle bracket 43 secured to the bottom ofthe cutter frame 37. The knives 41 have links 44 secured thereto whichare in turn pivotally connected by the headed and nutted bolt 45. Aspring 41a is connected at one end to the bracket 43 and at its otherendto an arm 46 adjacent one end thereof, which end is bent at rightangles and is secured to bolt 45 which passes therethrough. The arm 46is pivoted at its other end on the shaft 22. Said arm 46 has adjustablysecured thereto by bolts 47, a bracket 48, having slots 48a in thespaced arms thereof through which bolts 47 pass. Said bracket 48 has anopening 48?) at its upper end into which projects a pin 49 which pin issecured to a crank disk 50 secured to shaft 30 which also carries thegear 28. A collar 51 is secured to shaft 30 and acoiled spring 52 surrounds said shaft, bearing at one end against collar 51 and at its otherend against the disk 50 which has a hub 50a extending at one sidethereof, in which is formed a circumferentially extending groove 50b. Aclutch fork 53a embraces hub 50a and has pins projecting into oppositesides of the'groove 50b. The hub 50a is formed at its end as a halfclutch, and is adapted to co-operate with a similar half clutch 54secured to the shaft 30 by means of a set screw 55. The fork 53a isformed at the upper end of the lever 53 which is a bell crank lever andhas its other arm 53?) extending laterally and downwardly to one side ofthe machine, where it is provided with a foot pedal 530, said leverbeing pivoted on the pivot 56 carried in a bearing 57 secured to one ofthe members 11. The lever 53 can beheld in its lower position by meansof the stop 53d secured to one of the members 11'. The-shaft22 isprovided at the end opposite that carrying the arm 24, with a hand lever58. The frame is provided with bails 59 at each end, of semicircularshape, carrying spaced radially extending pins 59a having their pointedends projecting outwardly from said bails. One of the bails 59 has ashield 60 secured to and upstanding therefrom at the side thereofdisposed toward the driving pulley 33a and extending partially in frontof the clipper device.

The potatoes are supported for presentation to the knives by forks orbaskets 61. These baskets comprise two laterally spaced narrow strips61a which are connected at their rear ends to a semi-circular strip ofthin narrow metal 610, as by rivets or spot-welding, and are securedadjacent their front ends to a yoke or Y-shaped member 62 having theupper ends of threaded bolts 63 secured thereto, which bolts projectdownwardly through angle brackets 64 and are adjustably secured thereinby jamb nuts. The forks also comprise laterally spaced narrow members61bwhich are also secured at their rear ends to 68"may'be adjustedvertically.

the member 610 as 'gby riveting or-spot-weld ing, and it will be-notedthat the forward ends of members 616 arecurved: inwardly and thenoutwardly, said endsbeingfree. It is also pointed out that the ends ofthe members 61a are curved outwardly away from each other. The members6l0have their ends reversely bent and extending; downwardlyverticallyand a rod: 66pa'sses through these-ends and is secured in brackets 67secured to and extendmg downwardly fromthemembers 13a The said ends ofmembers 610 areheld in position by cutter pins eXtend'ing throu-ghtherods 66. The forks or baskets 61 described are used in combination withthe 'lmives 39 and Y40 The potatoes are-presented toknives 38by apair ofsmalle'r forks or baskets 68.; each-comprising-a single pairof'laterally spaced thin and narrow strip's secured at theirrear ends toa member 68a similar tothe members 610 also mounted on one ofithe rods66., and having their front we ends slightly curved, diverging andsecured adjacent-their terminals to a yoke or Y-shaped members 69similar to the members 62 and also having adjustable threaded bolts-secured therein by which the for s In operation when the machine apower machine-the pulley 33a; will-be driven by'a beltfrom a suitablemotor and gear 28 will bedriven. The arm- 24 will be oscillatedthroughlink 26 oscillating shaft 22- and arms 21. Arms-21 will reciprocatetherod20, the cross head and plungers 34 and-s 'The operator stands atthe side of 'the'machine and removes the potatoes from an open bottomhopper (notshown) supported by the machine, and drops the potatoes intothe baskets 61-and 68. "If the potatoes are quitesmall, theyare placedinthe baskets or forks'68 and will be centered therein, as the stripsformingthe forks incline down wardly and inwardly. When theplungers arereciprocated, the potatoes aremoved forwardly towardtheknives 38 andwill be cut in hal fythe slots 34:6 embracing the knives 38 so that thepotato isj push-ed past the knives; The-ends. of members 68 divergeoutwardly sothat there will be no clamping orgripping action on thepotatoes, as they are ex' panded by being cut by the knives 38. It-hasbeenfound much preferable .to cut: the 'small.

potatoes in two with a vertical knife rather than with a horizontalknife. It will be seen that with a horizontal knife thepotatoes will notalways be centered with the knife, as when a realsmall potato is cut,thelarger portion'of the-same will pass underthe knife, and it isimpracticable toadjust the fork or carrierfor eachpotato.1 Ifthe-potat'oisof larger-size, it is placed in-one of the forks 61 at;the ends ofplunger 34and wilhbe pushed through the vertical and horizontal: knivesand cut into fou-r pieces. The said i members 6lb=w ill rcenterthepotato laterallyas it is is used as brought upagainst the knives '39 andiO. The slots in the ends of member 34 embrace the knivesso that thepotatois pushed entirely therethrough. If a larger potatois to be cut,

it is placed: in the-fork 61 at the end. of: the plunger 35. andpresented tothe knives 40 with which the clipping device cooperates,Thepotatois pushed through the knives 40 'andicut as alreadydescribedEand/as the potato ispushed substantially half wayithroug-h theouterside ofthe knives 40,the bottom 46 will: be depressedaby therevolution of pin 49pm the crank disk-50, and theknivesal in- Fig. fit'hus cuttingthe potato transverse ly so that the-potatolwillbe cutintoeight will be swung toward each otheras shown pieces.- As theknives41 movetogether, they embrace the divided parts of the potato so thatthe same are 'held :togethenuntil come pletely cut. This isa greatimprovement over a the vertical knife which merely movesver tlcallythrough thepotatoesinonedirection.

Such a knife tends to separate the pieces and does not usually cut thelastzpiecesengaged with a clean cut. 7 The, knife is apt: to

carry an uncut piece of potato and the piece of potato moved by theknife will. often bend the horizontal knife. As the pinAQ com tinues torevolve, the member 48 will be With the slots having the enlargedrearends and downward flare as shown, the accumue I lated dirt passing: into:the slots .dropstherefromso thatz theTslots are keptclean; Byprovidinglthe top plate 15 with thendepen-cl-- ing ends, if the operatorshould drop a potato into the machine when the plungeris ad vanced,ibWilliI'iClG on top ofthe plunger and as the plunger moves backwards,the potato will be scrapedoif of the plunger bythe depending ends 15a ofthe plate15 and willbe properly: positioned in the forks: or. baskets 61or 68. The plate 15covers' the central-por tion ofthe machine and thusdefines the places where the potato mustbedropped onto the supportingmembers 61 and 68. This :cover 15 also prevents dirt andjothenarticlesfrom falling down into the cross head" slides and other workingparts ofthe. machinen Whenit isdesired notto use the clipper devicecomprising-knivesiel, the lever 536 will be .de:

pressed by the operator stepping on the pedal portion 530 and the halfclutch a will be withdrawn from half clutch 54 so that shaft 29 will notbe driven. The crank disk 50 will thus not be operated and the clipperdevice will remain in open position. \Vhenit .is desired to operate themachine as a hand machine, the belt will be removed from the pulley 33aandthe cross head may then be reciprocated by merely oscillating thehand lever 58. The bails 59 with their points 59a form bag holders andthe mouth of the bag is held thereon so that the potatoes when on dropthereinto.

From the above description it is seen that applicants have provided avery simple and efficient potato cutting machine and one by means ofwhich the potatoes can be very rapidly and accurately cut. The machineprovides for accurately cutting potatoes of all sizes. The parts of, themachine are quite few and simple in construction. The machine is beingcommercially made and has been amply demonstrated in actual practice andfound to be very successful.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes'may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, withoutdeparting from the scope of applicants invention, which, generallystated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects setforth, in the novel parts and combinations of parts disclosed anddefined in the appended claims. 7

What is claimed is 1. A potato cutting machine having in combination, aknife disposed in a vertical plane, means for supporting a potato formovement and presentation to said knife and a horizontal movable plungerfor moving said potato along said means to said knife, said plungerhaving a slot therein for embracing said knife, said slot increasing insize toward the end thereof remote from said knife and also having itssides diverging downwardly from the upper side thereof.

2. A potato cutting machine having combination, a .frame, a cutter headsupported therein having a pair of spaced knives disosed in a verticalplane, a potato supportmg means for each nife comprisingspaced narrowmembers having their top surfaces inclined downwardly toward each otherand their ends adjacent said knife curved outwardly and a reciprocatingplunger movable over said means toward said knife having its end dividedto form two portions, each portion having a concave end and a slotextending thereinto adapted to embrace one of said knives. I

3. A potato cutting machine having in combination, a frame, a pluralityof sets of cutting knives at each end of said frame, means forsupporting potatoes for presentation to said knives, a cross headreciprocable in said frame, double ended plungers movable with saidcross head for pushing a potato through said knives to complete thecutting thereof, and a plate extending over the central portion of saidframe and having portions. at its ends extending downward adjacent thetops of said plungers to sweep a potato from the top of said plunger andcause it to drop in front of the same. i

4. The structure set forth in claim 3, and means for securing saidplungers to said cross head, permitting longitudinal adjustment of saidplungers.

5. A potato cutting machine having in combination, a frame, a cuttinghead therein having knives through which the potatoes are pushedhorizontally, a support for holding the potatoes in proper relation tosaid knives and a clipping device at one side of said knives comprisinga pair of flat movable knives having concave edges directed toward eachother and pivoted together about an axis disposed below said support tomove in a substantially vertical plane adjacent said first mentionedknives to embrace and cut a potato which has been moved past saidknives.

6. A potato cutting machine having in combination, a frame, cuttingknives secured therein, a clipping device at one side of said knivescomprising curved blades with their concave sides directed toward eachother and adapted to move closely adjacent said knives to embrace andcut a potato transversely, a rotatable'shaft, a crank disk securedthereto having a crank pin thereon, a member movable vertically by saidcrank pin, an arm secured to said member and pivoted at one end, andmeans connecting the other end of said arm to said blades whereby whensaid arm is moved downwardly, said blades approach each'other to cut apotato.

7; A potato cutting machine having in combination, a frame, cuttingknives supported in said frame, a support extending to said knives,means for pushing a potato on said support past said knives, a clippingdevice for cutting said potato transversely, a driving means foroperating said clipping device, said driving means being disconnectablefrom said clipping device and means for holding said'clipping device ininoperative position with said knives separated.

8. A potato cutting machine having in combination, a frame, cuttingknives supported in said frame, means for supporting a potato forpresentation to said knives, comprising four longitudinally extendingnar row resilient members, a pair of which extend in parallel relationat the bottom of said means with their top surfaces inclined downwardlytoward each other and the other pair of which are disposed substantiallyin vertical planes extending substantially parallel above said firstmentioned members, said last-mentioned pair having thelr ends freeandbent toward each other at their'free ends, said first mentioned pairhaving their ends curved outwardly away from each other, and means forsupporting said ends for vertical adjustment.

9. The structure set forth in claim 8,all of said members beingconnected at their,

rear ends to a U-shaped strip, and means for t supporting said U-shapedstrip. 7

10. A potato cutting machine having in combination, a frame, a set ofknives, a

said knives, a reciprocating plunger for moving potatoes to and past ICross-head gulded in said frame and carrying said plungers, a pinconnected to saidcross-head,

a rocker arm having a slot in which said pin is disposed and adaptedtoreciprocate said a cross-head, ashaft on whichsa-id rocker arm ismounted and journaled in said frame, a

crank arm at one end of said shaft, a crank t i disk on said frame, apitman connectingsaid disk and said crank arm and means for rotatmg saiddlskb 11. A potato cutting machine havingin combination, a frame,intersecting cutting knives supported in said frame, means forsupporting a potato for movement toward and past said knives, means forpushing a potato to and past said knives for cutting said potato intoseparate pieces, a pair of vertically disposed curved knives at one sideof said knives having concave edges directed towards each other andpivoted together,

said latter knives having ends diverging from said pivot, links pivotedto said ends,

said linksextending downwardly, converging towards each other andpivoted at their I other ends by a common pivot, means for moving saldlatter pivot to operate said knives, and a spring extending from saidpivot to a point adjacent the pivot connect-s ing said knives forholding said knives in separated position.

In testimony whereof we, afiix our signatures. V

l J OHN- A. BERGREN;

CHARLES G; BERGREN.

